Two Penicillin Recipes (Classic and Mr. Anthony)

 

The Penicillin Cocktail came about at the height of the single-malt craze in the early aughts. At the time, the Penicillin seemed like something completely new, but in reality it was always with us. It combines a well tested Sour recipe with scotch and honey with ginger liqueur and smokey single malt scotch. It is perfect for pleasing a crowd of scotch fans with a simple recipe, as well as showing off how a well-made cocktail can change the drinking experience into something otherworldly. 

 

For bartenders, though, the cocktail was the easiest way to sell blended scotch at cocktail prices and still make it seem like the whole drink was made from single malt. 

 

My attempt at the traditional Penicillin this go-around is with Teacher's blended scotch and Ardbeg 12. While not the smokiest of scotches, the peat presence will knock you over. You will definitely notice it in the drink. The ginger brandy is my homemade liqueur, but King's Ginger liqueur is recommended and Domaine de Canton is most widely available. 

• 1 1/2 oz. blended scotch (Teacher's used)
• 1/2 oz. ginger liqueur (homemade used)
• 1/3 oz. single male scotch (Ardbeg 12 used)
• 2/3 oz. lemon juice 
• 2/3 oz. honey syrup
• piece of candied ginger

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass with a large format chunk of ice inside. Use the ginger as garnish.  

Mr. Anthony: 

It's not at all a stretch of the imagination to make a genever (or jenever) Sour, and from there, it's just a short step to the Mr. Anthony, a jenever version of the Penicillin. Jenever is a Dutch gin that is made from malted barley and distilled with botanicals like juniper inside the mash as well as steeped in the spirit itself.

Bols barrel aged genever is so close to malt whiskey with its aging in French oak that it is a natural choice for a Penicillin. This time around, I switched up for a saltier and smokier single malt, McClellands Islay, a no-age-statement bottling (I've heard) from Bowmore. It is definitely different to make the Mr. Anthony after having a blended scotch Penicillin, but I might like it more. There's an herbal quality to it, that juniper or pine scent that is actually a quality of some of my favorite scotches.

• 1 oz. jenever (Bols barrel aged used)
• 1 oz. Islay single malt scotch (McClelland's used)
• 2 bar spoons of honey (1/2 oz. of honey syrup recommended)
• 1/4 oz. ginger liqueur (homemade used)
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• piece of candied ginger
  

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass with a large format chunk of ice inside. Use the ginger as garnish.